Summer had ended and school was back in full swing. For my family, last summer was a great summer ever. The summer began with a bang - our boys went to camp Dry Gulch in Oklahoma. While they were at camp, Cyd and I took a trip to Louisiana to spend time with my parents and to work on the first draft of my book. Because "Summer Adventure", our vacation bible school, was happening two weeks after camp, we decided, along with my brother Reggie, to invite our nephew Ryan to "Summer Adventure". Ryan lives in Lousiana. It would be Ryan's first extended stay away from home.
On the first day of VBS, our house was buzzing with the activity of six rambunctous Texada boys. There was Seth and Caleb(my boys), Rylan and Ross( Reggie's boys), Ridge(my brother Keith's son) and Ryan(Bubba's son). The lively conversations that these boys, ranging in age from 10(Seth) to 6(Ross), were having in our house, transferred to our SUV. Jokes were being told and stories about school experiences were shared. With Caleb around, there was no doubt going to be a discussion regarding Legos. I enjoyed the chatter and commraderie shared by the cousins. Once we arrived at the church, one by one those who were in the 3rd row seat began to climb over the 2nd row seats before I could give instructions regarding exiting the vehicle. As they filed out of the truck, I took a mental snap shot and from that moment everything appeared to shift to slow motion.
As I studied each boy, their height, the size of their feet, the clothes they wore, each with their own patented laugh and smile, a thought struck me like a lightening bolt racing across a darkened sky. I reflected on the thought: "in about 8 years, these little boys would be strapping teenagers. They wouldn't be going to VBS, they would likely be the teenagers helping to facilitate it. They wouldn't need me to drive them every where; they would be driving themselves. They wouldn't be asking, "Dad, what are we going to do? Or, will you play with us? They would be saying, "Dad, I'm going over to my friends, I'll see you later!"
I've always done my best to be in the moment while interacting with my boys. I've always been grateful to the Lord for blessing me with kids when I thought my chances to be a biological Father had passed. Now, standing in the parking lot of my church, a greater urgency gripped me.
Make every moment count; because, They Grow Up Too Fast!